A to Z of reusing, recycling and waste disposal

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Plastic products labelled as biodegradable or compostable cannot currently be recycled in your green recycling or brown garden waste bin. This type of plastic should be disposed of in your black general household waste bin. Biodegradable and compostable plastics must be dealt with separately to non-biodegradable plastics such as food containers, drinks and shampoo bottles, as they cannot be recycled in the same way. Although the garden waste from your brown bin is composted, compostable plastic bags do not break down quickly enough in the process, resulting in a poor quality compost.

You can put the following types of plastic in your green recycling bin - types 1 (PET/PETE), 2 (HDPE/PE-HD), 4 (LDPE/PE-LD) and 5 (PP). These numbers are be found in a triangle on plastic items. These items include plastic bags, plastic shampoo bottles, soft drink bottles, detergent bottles and plastic milk containers.

Caps, lids, pumps and triggers can all be left on bottles as they will be recycled too.

Please try to re-use polystyrene chips if possible or pass them on to someone who will. Polystyrene can’t be recycled, so dispose of small amounts in your black household waste bin. Larger pieces can be broken down or placed in the general waste skip at your local household waste recycling centre.

If your bottles are plastic or glass, you can wash them (squashing plastic ones) and put them in your green recycling bin.

Please remember that good condition baby clothes, toys and equipment can be passed on to friends, relatives, neighbours or donated to your local charity shop. Your local nursery or playgroup may also be pleased to receive them. If you are throwing out old baby clothes, toys and equipment, please donate them to a local re-use organisation or visit the Revive Leeds re-use shop at Kirkstall or Seacroft recycling centre. They will re-use them, helping those in need.

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If you have an electric oil-filled radiator that is in good working order, you can donate it to a local reuse organisation. You can also take it to the Revive Leeds re-use shop at the Kirkstall or Seacroft recycling centre. If you are replacing a broken electric radiator, the retailer supplying your new appliance should offer you a take back service. You can recycle your electric radiator by taking it to your nearest recycling centre. If you are unable to do this, you can book a bulky waste collection online. If it is a radiator from a central heating system, you need to take it to your nearest recycling centre, where you can put it in the scrap metal container.

If you have a radio that is in good working order, you can donate it to a local reuse organisation. You can also take it to the Revive Leeds re-use shop at the Kirkstall or Seacroft recycling centre. If you are replacing a broken radio, the retailer supplying your new appliance should offer you a take back service. Alternatively, you can recycle your radio by taking it to your nearest bring site with a WEEE bank (see W for a list of sites) or to your nearest recycling centre, where you can put it in the small electrical waste container.

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If you have a record player that is in good working order, you can donate it to a local reuse organisation. You can also take it to the Revive Leeds re-use shop at the Kirkstall or Seacroft recycling centre. Alternatively, you can recycle your record player by taking it to your nearest bring site with a WEEE bank (see W for a list of sites) or to your nearest recycling centre, where you can put it in the small electrical waste container.

Please donate these to your local charity shop.

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